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Police night guard scheme for A&E | Police night guard scheme for A&E |
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Police are to be deployed at a hospital accident and emergency unit in Northern Ireland for the first time. | Police are to be deployed at a hospital accident and emergency unit in Northern Ireland for the first time. |
The three-month pilot scheme will see two uniformed police officers based at Belfast City Hospital during "hot-spot" times to tackle attacks on staff. | The three-month pilot scheme will see two uniformed police officers based at Belfast City Hospital during "hot-spot" times to tackle attacks on staff. |
The armed officers will be on duty on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, between 2200 and 0300 GMT. | The armed officers will be on duty on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, between 2200 and 0300 GMT. |
If successful, the scheme will be introduced in other hospitals across Northern Ireland. | If successful, the scheme will be introduced in other hospitals across Northern Ireland. |
Health minister Paul Goggins said there was evidence that trusts which take a zero tolerance approach have fewer attacks. | Health minister Paul Goggins said there was evidence that trusts which take a zero tolerance approach have fewer attacks. |
"There have been over 2,200 physical assaults and around 1,000 verbal attacks on healthcare staff, in the last six months alone, in Northern Ireland," he said. | "There have been over 2,200 physical assaults and around 1,000 verbal attacks on healthcare staff, in the last six months alone, in Northern Ireland," he said. |
"We need to give frontline staff the protection they deserve and I believe the visible presence of uniformed police officers, who can witness, report and deal with any assaults, will help do that." | "We need to give frontline staff the protection they deserve and I believe the visible presence of uniformed police officers, who can witness, report and deal with any assaults, will help do that." |
Mr Goggins said he had consulted the British Medical Association, the Royal College of Nursing and other relevant trade unions before developing a series of proposed actions: | Mr Goggins said he had consulted the British Medical Association, the Royal College of Nursing and other relevant trade unions before developing a series of proposed actions: |
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Geraldine Bryers, a lead nurse at the City Hospital, said: "I have worked in Accident & Emergency for 17 years and I have been attacked on a number of occasions. | Geraldine Bryers, a lead nurse at the City Hospital, said: "I have worked in Accident & Emergency for 17 years and I have been attacked on a number of occasions. |
The three-month pilot scheme will take place at Belfast City Hospital"I know from personal experience how traumatic it can be. Sometimes it is not only physical abuse, sometimes verbal abuse to staff can be extremely upsetting and traumatic." | The three-month pilot scheme will take place at Belfast City Hospital"I know from personal experience how traumatic it can be. Sometimes it is not only physical abuse, sometimes verbal abuse to staff can be extremely upsetting and traumatic." |
PSNI ACC Duncan McCausland said that he hoped that the scheme would provide "on hand" additional support and extra reassurance for healthcare workers and patients. | |
"A hospital is a place where everyone should feel totally safe and secure," he said. | |
The British Medical Association's Northern Ireland chairman, Dr Brian Patterson, welcomed the decision. | The British Medical Association's Northern Ireland chairman, Dr Brian Patterson, welcomed the decision. |
"We took a decision in August last year to run a local campaign to highlight and tackle this issue and as part of this carried out a survey of doctors in Northern Ireland, to find out the extent of the problem | "We took a decision in August last year to run a local campaign to highlight and tackle this issue and as part of this carried out a survey of doctors in Northern Ireland, to find out the extent of the problem |
"As a result, in November we had the hard evidence which showed that violence was continuing and on the increase. | "As a result, in November we had the hard evidence which showed that violence was continuing and on the increase. |
"We published our report on the survey, which showed that almost half of the 1,000 doctors who responded said that violence was a problem and more than a quarter said it had increased in the past year." | "We published our report on the survey, which showed that almost half of the 1,000 doctors who responded said that violence was a problem and more than a quarter said it had increased in the past year." |
Dr Patterson said an end would only be in sight when people realised that they would face a custodial sentence if they attacked doctors and other healthcare workers. | Dr Patterson said an end would only be in sight when people realised that they would face a custodial sentence if they attacked doctors and other healthcare workers. |